Consultant neurosurgeon Stuart Ross said the Spaniard's freak accident in July last year may have left her with epilepsy - which could have led to her death in a hotel room this morning.

Mr Ross, who treated Mirror columnist Richard Hammond after his horror crash in 2006, said: "The only obvious connection I can see between the injury and her death is that she could have developed seizures after her head injury and she happened to have a big seizure in the hotel room," he said.

"After a knock on the head or any brain injury, there's a possibility of developing epilepsy.

"That could happen 14 months down the line, even if she had not had a seizure in the interim."

Mr Ross led the team that cared for Hammond at Leeds General Infirmary following the high speed crash in a jet-powered dragster that nearly claimed his life in 2006.

Doctors have yet to confirm how De Villota died.

But the neurosurgeon, a senior lecturer at the University of Leeds, said epilepsy was the most likely cause - if her death was related to her accident.

"Anyone with epilepsy has a small background risk of sudden death," he added.

"It's a phenomenon that doesn't happen very often but it seems to be the most likely connection - if there is one - between what has happened and her (de Villota's) injury."

A fit may have been brought on by flickering lights of a television or a simple infection or illness, he said. Other possible catalysts for a seizure include failure to take medication if a patient is receiving treatment for the condition, he said.

The former Formula One driver, who was left with one eye after a horrific crash during summer testing last year, was found dead this morning. Reports claim she suffered a heart attack at 4am after a suspected brain haemorrhage.

De Villota’s shocked personal assistant discovered her body after going to wake her up at 7am at a hotel in Spain.

A postmortem revealed Maria died of natural causes.

The 33-year-old had achieved her dream of becoming a pro racer, as a reserve driver for the Marussia F1 team.

But it was cruelly taken away from her when she crashed into a parked lorry in July last year as she headed back to the pits after testing in the UK.

Her injuries meant she could not keep racing. Her mum Isabel and dad Emilio said: “Maria has left us. She had to go to the sky like all the angels.

"I give thanks to God for the extra year and a half he left her with us."